Our Team
The Washington Global Institute brings together distinguished academicians, decision-makers, professionals, and experts from notable institutions to inform, instruct, and inspire. Our team can provide the historical context for any given issue and then share with delegates the latest trends and advancements in specific areas of interest.
United States of America

Dr. Tahir I. Shad
President
Maryland, USA
Dr. Tahir I. Shad is a distinguished scholar, educator, and international leader who serves as the President of the Washington Global Institute (WGI). With a career spanning academia, diplomacy, and global policy engagement, Dr. Shad has built a reputation for bridging ideas and action across continents.
Before founding and leading WGI, Dr. Shad served as Associate Dean at Washington College, and Director of international studies for 22 years where he spearheaded international programs and established enduring partnerships with leading universities and government institutions worldwide, including . His academic expertise, coupled with his ability to build cross-border collaborations, positioned him as a trusted advisor on issues of governance, democracy, and capacity building.
At WGI, Dr. Shad has transformed the institute into a dynamic hub for leadership development and international cooperation. Under his leadership, WGI has designed and delivered innovative training and exchange programs for local government officials, policymakers, and emerging leaders from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. These initiatives focus on strengthening governance, advancing community development, and preparing leaders to navigate the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
Recognized for his visionary approach, Dr. Shad combines scholarly depth with practical experience. His work has taken him to capitals and communities across the globe, where he has engaged with heads of government, cabinet ministers, and grassroots leaders alike. His commitment is rooted in a belief that stronger governance, civic engagement, and international understanding are essential to building sustainable and peaceful societies.
Charismatic, innovative, and deeply committed to global progress, Dr. Tahir I. Shad embodies the mission of the Washington Global Institute: to empower leaders, connect nations, and shape the future of governance and development worldwide.
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- Religion, Economics, and Politics in FATA-KP: The Enduring Challenges of Merged Tribal Districts in Northwestern Pakistan
- Edited by Tahir I. Shad & Syed Hussain Shaheed Soherwordi. New York: Peter Lang, hardcover 2021; paperback 2022. Series: Washington College Studies in Religion, Politics, and Culture, vol. 15. DOI: 10.3726/b14996.
- Includes “Chapter One: Introduction and Overview” (Shad & Soherwordi) and “Chapter Six: From Jihad to Salam in Pursuit of Political Change: A Perspective Based on Qur’ānic Sources” (Muqtedar Khan & Shad).
Journal Articles / Chapters (jihad & related):
- From Jihad to Salam in Pursuit of Political Change: A Perspective based on Qur’ānic Sources
- Journal of Islamic & Religious Studies 2(2) (2017): 1–12. (Often listed online with a 2020 post date.) Co-authors: Muqtedar Khan & Tahir I. Shad. DOI: 10.36476/JIRS.2:2.12.2017.15. (Also appears as Chapter Six in the FATA-KP volume above.)
- Syrian Foreign Policy in the Post-Soviet Era
- Arab Studies Quarterly 17(1/2) (Winter–Spring 1995): 77–94. Authors: Tahir I. Shad; Tahir L. Shad; Steven Boucher; Jennifer Gray Reddish.
Monograph:
- Managing Ethnic Conflict: The Case of Pakistan
- Canberra: Dept. of Political and Social Change, Research School of Pacific & Asian Studies, Australian National University, 1996. Authors: Tahir I. Shad & Jennifer Gray Reddish. (Series: Regime Change and Regime Maintenance in Asia and the Pacific.)
Phone: (+1) 240-672-3740

Sabahat Shad
Vice President
Maryland, USA
Business expert Sabahat Shad has more than 26 years of industry expertise. Throughout her career, she has held a variety of senior positions, particularly in international management and leadership. She has used her multi-cultural abilities in many nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and the Middle East. Similar to her work, Sabahat has an international background. After completing her business and finance studies in the UK, Sabahat started her career as the Director of Leisure Ltd. In this position, Sabahat was in charge of 33 operations. She has strong organizational and people management skills. After relocating from the United Kingdom to the United States, Sabahat rose to prominence as the Regional Vice President of Elizabeth Arden Corporation, where she oversaw a team of over 600 employees and over $50 million in annual revenue. Sabahat was in charge of creating one of the most prosperous regions for the company by developing and putting into action strategic plans. After that, Sabahat joined WTS International, one of the top consulting and management firms for the hospitality industry, where she served as Vice President of revenue development and oversaw 60 locations globally. Sabahat is currently the Vice President for Washington Global Institute, where she is in charge of all facets of the institute’s training initiatives. She committed to provide top-notch comprehensive training and educational initiatives for the benefit of local and global populations.
hidePhone: (+1) 202-607-9631

Joseph Prud’homme
Head of Academic Programming
Maryland, USA
Joseph Prud’homme is The Burton Family Chair in Religion, Politics and Culture, associate professor of political science, and instructor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion, at Washington College. He has been director of the IRPC since its founding. Prud’homme received his doctorate from Princeton University and has been awarded fellowships at Harvard University and the University of Oxford. His expertise is in the areas of political philosophy, legal theory and constitutional law, the study of religion and political and cultural affairs, and urban and community studies.
Among his publications are the books: Religion and Politics in America from the Colonial Period to the Civil War, Curriculum and the Culture Wars: Debating the Bible’s Place in Public Schools, and State Religious Education and the State of Religious Life, as well as numerous peer-reviewed articles in leading journals.
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Sarah Wolek
Senior Lecturer
Maryland, USA
Sarah Wolek is a Senior Faculty Specialist within the Management and Organization Department where she teaches courses on self-leadership and flourishing. Wolek also serves in the Maryland General Assembly’s House of Delegates where she is a member of the Appropriations Committee.
Wolek joined the University of Maryland after working in a variety of public sector institutions including the White House Office of Budget and Management, the United States Mission to the United Nations and the US Treasury.
An alumna of the University of Maryland, she earned an MBA from Columbia University and an MA in public policy from the University of Chicago. She lives in Bethesda, Maryland and enjoys spending her free time with her family and friends.
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Dr. Gary G. Ador Dionisio
Dean of the School of Diplomacy and Governance at De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde
Manila, PH
After serving for several years as program chair of the Consular and Diplomatic Affairs Program at De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde School of Diplomacy and Governance (BENILDE), Dr. Gary G. Ador Dionisio was named Dean of the college in 2019.
Dr. Ador Dionisio earned his Doctor of Public Administration at the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance and a Master of Arts in Political Science at the De La Salle University – Manila. He also attended short-term courses on Phronetic Leadership and Organizational Developments as a scholar in the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo, Japan, in 2016 and Global Leadership Program under the Osgood Center of International Studies in Washington, D.C., USA in 2017 and 2018.
He was appointed by the Commission on Higher Education as a Technical Evaluator for Public Administration and Governance for Higher Education Institutions, serving from May 2021 to May 2024.
Dr. Ador Dionisio has written, presented, and moderated various papers with themes on Governance and Public Administration, Public Policy, Civil Society Participation, International Relations and Diplomacy, and International Political Economy to national and international conferences held throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, and the USA. He is an occasional speaker at the Department of National Defense Armed Forces of the Philippines – Command General Service Staff College, and a Subject Matter Expert at the Graduate School of Public Development and Management at the Development Academy of the Philippines. He was also conferred as a Senior Fellow of the Philippine Public Safety College.
In addition to his work in academe, Dr. Ador Dionisio has engagements to national government, non-government organizations, and local government units in the Philippines in different capacities. Most recently, he was appointed by the Commission on Higher Education as Project Manager of the CHED and Benilde Business Continuity Plan Program for State Universities and Colleges. He also chairs the board of the, Institute of Politics and Governance, and is a Senior Advisor of WR Consultancy Group.
hidePhone: (+63) 0917-856-7868

Pamela A. Grafilo
Program Director to the Philippines and Asia
Quezon City, PH
Pamela has a strong research background, having started her career in development work as a researcher for 2 well-respected Philippine-based NGOs working on peoples economics and policy analysis for agriculture and rural development. Ten years into her career, from policy research and advocacy for farmer-centered agricultural development, Pamela found herself shifting to local governance reforms work. For 8 years, she managed an annual awards program called Galing Pook (considered the Oscars for good governance in the Philippines) that recognizes exemplary local governance practices in the Philippines.
From NGO work, she joined the United Nations Development Programme in the Philippines to coordinate the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of its Democratic Governance portfolio which dealt with a wide scope of issues from citizens participation, anti-corruption and accountability, human rights, electoral and political reforms, access to justice, indigenous peoples rights, gender and women empowerment, natural resource governance, decentralization and local autonomy, among many other governance issues.
Her years of experience in results-based program management, monitoring and evaluation as well as network of partners and stakeholders, prepared Pamela to lead a career in development consultancy. Since 2013, Pamela is engaged as an independent development consultant that accorded her the opportunity to work with international development organizations (United Nations, World Bank, Australia DFAT, Canada DFATD, USAID); regional organizations such as the ASEAN; international NGOs such as Oxfam, Christian Aid as well as with a broad base of civil society organizations, both at the national, regional and international levels. She currently coordinates the WGI Program in the Philippines.
hidePhone: (+63) 3917-823-7346
United Kingdom

Zara Idris
Program Director to the United Kingdom and Europe
London, UK
Zara Idris has managed projects and led corporate fundraising for non-profit organisations for youth services, homelessness, and employability. She has also worked in international development and education projects in Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Egypt, and India. Zara has a diverse background. She has an undergraduate degree in French and Politics from the University of Southampton and achieved a Certificate of Political Studies from Sciences Po in Lille, France. Zara earned a Masters’ degree in International Relations of the Middle East with Arabic at the University of Edinburgh. As part of her Masters’ program, she studied Arabic in Egypt and Jordan. Zara achieved a certificate in the Oxford Leading Sustainable Corporations Program from Saїd Business School, University of Oxford. Her focus now is on good governance, international education, and sustainable development.
hidePhone : (+44) 447810307743

Dr. Sean Oliver-Dee
Program Lecturer
Oxford, UK
Sean has lectured and tutored in the fields or religion, politics and society at the University of Oxford for the past eight years. His main area of research is on how Western Liberal government have engaged with religious minorities in relation to extremism and citizenship historically and currently. Sean has authored four books and numerous articles (academic and media) as well as providing bespoke analysis for a number of clients in the government and NGO sectors. He has also been an expert advisor on the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre projects ‘Meaningful and Ethical Communication’ (2021-2023) and ‘The Science of Values and Identity in the Political Process’ (2019-2021).
Recent publications have included ‘“Never Was There a Tale of More Woe..” The Church in Western Europe in the Twenty-First Century’ Journal of Post-Christendom Studies 7:87-115 (2023) and ‘Restoring Community and Covenant in the 21st Century: The History and Potential Revival of Coventism in the Era of the “Global Village”’ Religions 14(1267):1-13 (2023), as well as Courting Islam: US-British Engagement with Islam since the European Colonial Period (2020).
Phone: (+44) 077 7761 8345

Bethany Oliver-Dee
Program Lecturer and Coordinator
London, UK
Bethany has a first-class undergraduate degree in International Relations. During the week, She had the privilege of working in the House of Lords. She works as a Researcher for Baroness Cox’s Parliamentary office, and as Communications Coordinator for her NGO, Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART).
Her day-to-day work focuses on a wide variety of issues, from protecting the rights of women in the UK who have been religiously (but not legally) married, to advocating for those displaced by their oppressive military regime in Myanmar. Her work includes writing briefings and letters – to both domestic and international political figures; drafting speeches for Chamber debates and Written Questions to the Government; and accompanying Baroness Cox to Parliamentary meetings and events – including het first overseas advocacy visit to Washington D.C. and New York at the end of 2023.
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